University Athletic Association

[DagarmanSpartan]

OK.  I'll admit that I'm wrong about the state of athletics at Case as it currently exists.  But I won't change my views about how athletics at Case were back in the early 90s, because I personally witnessed everything that I've described here.

I guess times have changed from back in my day.  In know that soccer didn't recruit back in my time, because two of my fraternity brothers went out for the soccer team's open tryout, and in women's soccer, I was in ROTC with a girl that joined the women's soccer team in her sophomore year, more or less out of nowhere.

Apparently soccer, and just about every other sport at Case, has started true recruiting of athletes while in high school.

For the first time ever, I'm going to assume that that is the reason why our athletic teams have suddenly gotten so much better.

I'll let it go. 

Apparently the high schoolish attitude that pervaded Case athletics during my time has been replaced with a true commitment to being competitive, at least at the Division III level.

But I still wonder about two things:

1) Is anyone recruited to Case primarily to play sports?  I mean, don't athletes still have to have SAT scores and high school grades somewhere within Case's ballpark?  Or do they make some exceptions for athletes?

and

2) To what extent is regular attendance at practice now expected?  I mean, this article indicates that missing practices for academic reasons is still an acceptable custom (not that there's anything wrong with that!), but I wonder if today's Case athletic teams have 90+% of team members at every practice.  I'm not convinced that that was the case back in my time.

[ADL70]

That was then, this is now.

I'm pretty sure the answer to 1) is no. 

"Case has 18 starters who are not freshmen, and 13 of the 18 have at least a 3.0 GPA."

As to 2):

"At a recent practice, Debeljak was missing 12 players because they had a big chemistry test. On Tuesday, they don't work out until 7 p.m. so players can do their lab projects in the afternoon." 

Both quotes from Terry Pluto in today's PD.  The Spartans have attracted not just the local college sports beat writer, but in a main column.

As I recall a couple of years ago they practiced at daybreak because of academic schedules.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Major,

I'll answer your 2 questions.  I attend Carnegie Mellon, but I suspect that things are virtually identical at the two schools based on the kids that were recruited to go to both places and the kids I've interacted with on the Case team.

1) No one is recruited to CMU primarily to play sports.  The coaches recruit only athletes that are capable of getting into the school and maintaining good academic standing.  Our coaches have always been proud that for the last several years the football team's average GPA is higher than the school-wide average.  I'd suspect that the situation is the same at Case - kids that are good athletes AND good students will be recruited, but missing one of those components will probably keep the coaches away.

2) At CMU, regular attendance at practice is fully expected unless you have communicated with the coach that you have a class or review session that cannot be moved.  At CMU there is an "academic moratorium" from 4:30 to 6:30 in which no academic classes or review sessions are supposed to be held; if a professor holds something during that time he/she is required to offer an equivalent at another time that athletes can attend.  Attendance at practices here is generall 95% or better...I suspect it's the same at Case.

[aueagle]

Good Luck to CWRU on Saturday...It's nice to know that you can have great academics & athletics together....and win..and get into the playoffs.

[BDTartan]

This argument again?!?  Really??  Come on, haven't we established that recruiting is a very important part of the success DIII teams have?  

I'll tell you this much MajorSpartan, if the coach and the school have something worked out then I assume its okay to recruit a prospective student-athlete who falls just short of meeting the schools academic standards.  IF it can help an athletic team.  Don't forget that these sports do generate some type of money for the school.  In fact, a tidbit about my bro at CMU.....I remember Lackner worrying about my bro's ACT scores coming out of high school because his top score fell a bit short of CMU's standards, but they worked it out and now my brother is a starter and carries a very high GPA at CMU.  Sometimes coaches can find a kid out there who is a hard worker but maybe doesn't score the highest on tests or anything like that.

CWRU's athletic teams wouldn't be where they are now if it wasn't for recruiting.  They would be where they were back in your day MajorSpartan.

[ADL70]

From the playoff pickem OAC board.  The spread is CWRU +4.5.   The spread influenced by uncertainty about Whalen I'd guess.

The picks to date:  CWRU 13   Widener  9  Interesting that some picking Widener don't know how to spell the name.

Good luck Tartan and the rest of the Tartans in your post season game.  UAA all the way!!

[aueagle]

Also, the ingredient at Case has been the commitment to facilities and staff....that goes a long way in putting up W's on the field....
Re: Recrruiting...all I know about CWRU football recruiting is what my coaching buddies have told me in NE Ohio...They know who Debeljak, Macalla, Kaufman and Slesh are and what they do with their program...It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why they know about Case...

[DagarmanSpartan]

Gang,

I just read the article that cwru70 mentioned.  It's a GREAT story.

The Seniors on this team observed more or less what I did back in my time: VERY small athletic crowds, and near total disinterest in athletics by the school and its students, whenever they first arrived.

Things have really changed!

Here it is:

Case Western Reserve football opens eyes, along with books Terry Pluto
Friday, November 16, 2007

Case has 18 starters who are not freshmen, and 13 of the 18 have at least a 3.0 GPA. Tackle Chris Center and linebacker Ben Chlebina lead the way at 3.6. So it's not like the coaching staff is turning Case into a football factory where the books are sacked for extra time in film room. At a recent practice, Debeljak was missing 12 players because they had a big chemistry test. On Tuesday, they don't work out until 7 p.m. so players can do their lab projects in the afternoon.

[remainder deleted to preserve newspaper's copyright]

[TartanFann]

Good Luck Spartans.

Hosting a playoff game is special, make the most of it.

I would come to the game, but CMU is hosting a ECAC game.

[DagarmanSpartan]

The "experts" are betting against us 2-1.

I hope that they're wrong!

[ADL70]

Wow CWRU and CMU win by identical scores.
UAA all the way!!

Amazing performance by Whalen at the end.

[DagarmanSpartan]

GREAT WIN!!!!

Case's Cinderella season continues!

We play Wabash next, right?

[Dr. Acula]

GREAT WIN!!!!

Case's Cinderella season continues!

We play Wabash next, right?

I believe that's correct MS.  Congrats to Case.  10-0 and now hosting a 2nd playoff game.  Great job.  Enjoy the ride...

[ADL70]

11-0

[Dr. Acula]

11-0

Sorry...I was talking about regular season.  Let me rephrase...Perfect regular season and now hosting a 2nd playoff game.  Enjoy the ride. 

Best of luck.  Keep it rolling Case.